SMART Customs Initiative 2020
Action Plan 2022 for the Realization of SMART Customs
November 2022
Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan
Action Plan 2022 for the Realization of SMART Customs
Japan Customs is working toward the world’s leading Customs (SMART Customs) with a medium- to long-term vision for Customs administration, the "SMART Customs Initiative 2020" (announced in June 2020).
The environment surrounding Customs has been dramatically changing since the announcement of the Initiative. Changes are brought by the undergoing dynamic structural transformation both domestically and internationally, such as the prolonged impact of COVID-19, changes in international commercial and logistical flows due to the rapid increase in imports resulting from the expansion of cross-border electronic commerce (EC) and the further development of economic partnership agreements, rapid progress in the digital transformation (DX) of the entire economy and society starting with the private sector, and the emergence of new needs including the expectation to address economic security threats.
Considering these changes, Japan Customs has upgraded the measures set forth in the Initiative by incorporating new measures to respond to environmental changes and needs, and compiled the "Action Plan 2022 for the Realization of SMART Customs".
Japan Customs will continue to work toward the realization of SMART Customs by appropriately grasping environmental changes and needs, and by reviewing and revising measures in a timely manner. .
| Inquiries: |
| Customs Administration Research Office, Tariff Policy and Legal Division, Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan Tel:+81-3-3581- 4111 (Ext: 5706, 5216) |
SMART Customs Initiative 2020
June 2020
Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan
Medium- to long-term Vision for Customs Administration
SMART Customs Initiative 2020
—Working toward being the world's leading customs for sound development of trade, a safe
and secure society, and a prosperous future—
With a view to the future changes in the global context of customs administration, the Customs and Tariff Bureau of the Ministry of Finance has drawn up a medium- to long-term vision of customs administration, the “SMART Customs Initiative 2020.” By utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as AI to further improve the sophistication and efficiency of its operations, and to improve convenience for users, this initiative aims to realize the “world’s leading customs ,” which will be able to meet citizens’ expectations even 20 or 30 years from now.
In this initiative, the medium- to long-term vision of customs administration is set out in four key words:
「Solution」、「Multiple-Access」、
「Resilience」、 「Technology＆Talent」
＊SMART is an acronym for these key words
Each of these describes the measures we will be implementing.
This initiative will also foster a culture in which each and every officer of the Customs and Tariff Bureau and Japan Customs is encouraged to come up with their own ideas, to think about improving procedures, and to consider the future.
Factors such as the further expansion of trade, changes the structure of a society, and the development of cutting-edge technologies are expected to bring significant changes to the global context facing Japan Customs. Therefore, we will assess any changes in the context of our work and conduct reviews* as necessary. In doing so, we will keep in mind new perspectives that take into account changes caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
*We will follow up on the measures set forth in the SMART Customs Initiative 2020 every year, and plan to periodically review the initiative in its entirety every three years.
| Inquiries: |
| Customs Administration Research Office, Tariff Policy and Legal Division, Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan Tel:+81-3-3581- 4111 (Ext: 5706, 5216) |
